1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a double clutch system in a drive train that includes a twin clutch transmission and a drive unit. The drive unit can be coupled to the twin clutch transmission through a wet-running twin clutch of multi-disk construction having a drive side output hub that is non-rotatably connected with a first transmission input shaft. The first transmission shaft is rotatably disposed within a hollow, second transmission input shaft that includes a free end facing the drive unit, and that is non-rotatably connected to a transmission side output hub. The drive train includes a clutch cover that is axially disposed between the twin clutch and the drive unit, and on which a drive element that is non-rotatably connected to the drive unit is axially supported.
2. Description of the Related Art
A twin wet clutch is a component of a power transmission system and must be axially and radially fixed in position. Various embodiments of a multiple clutch device that can be installed in a drive train as complete units are known from published European Patent Application No. EP 1 226 992 A1. The known multi-clutch device includes a twin clutch with an outer disk carrier that extends radially inwardly to an annular component, on which the outer disk carrier is non-rotatably mounted. The annular component is supported on both transmission input shafts by an axial and radial bearing arrangement, so that radial forces and also axial forces are supported at the transmission input shafts. In one known embodiment, an axial support of the input shaft is provided at the crankshaft flange, which provides an elastic assembly that includes a spring and a convex or spherical support element that are radially inwardly inserted into a support shoulder of the input hub and are radially and axially supported by the support shoulder.
In another known embodiment, the transmission input shaft is provided with an annular groove into which a resilient retaining member is inserted, which is depressed into the groove by a run up slope of the hub component during insertion.
In another known embodiment, the clutch is supported by means of a drive plate through a spring assembly and a pivot bearing at the radially inner rim portion of the clutch cover. The spring assembly elastically biases the entire clutch toward the transmission so that tolerance compensation is achieved. The cover is supported at the transmission housing by a retaining ring.
It is an object of the present invention to maintain as low as possible the assembly complexity in the transmission for fixing in position the wet running twin clutch in a cost-effectively producible twin clutch assembly.